Expansion Tank

[delwin]

All modern cars have an expansion tank for coolant and it's a simple job to fit one to a minor. Especially if being used by drivers used to modern stuff. The advantages are that you can visually see the amount of coolant and the radiator stays full and any loss of coolant from the radiator when hot is collected in the expansion tank and then returned to the radiator as it cools.

I'd rate this as a simple job to do - although you may need to fabricate a bracket to hold the expansion tank/bottle.

Parts can be found at your local breakers yard.

You need a japanese/korean car with a narrow plastic expansion tank. These MUST BE vented and NOT a pressurised unit.
I found a perouda item which is great and included the pipework from the radiator (total cost £3)

Fabricate a bracket/clip for the tank

Either use existing bolt holes beside radiator (near side of car) or make some new ones.
If you have access to rivet nuts then the holes are perfect
Connect pipework add coolant to top of radiator and to max line in bottle.

Now when the engine is hot the level in the bottle slightly increases and drops again to max when cold.

Dave[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

[Chipper]

Certainly quite a good idea. I owned a Minor with Fiat twin cam that had a Marina expansion tank fitted.

I don't find the standard Minor's radiator particularly difficult to check the coolant level on though, unless it drops below the level of the header section, of course...

[jagnut66]

I just fitted an old Minor washer bottle and its bracket, that I had knocking around, near the rad and then dropped the existing overflow pipe into it.
Works a treat and didn't cost a bean!
Simples!!

[bmcecosse]

Have had this for years - just a plastic bottle. Note it only works with rad caps that are designed to vent the vacuum that develops in the rad as the engine cools.